Atmospheric & Surface Winds

Other Names

Definition

Air in motion relative to the surface of the Earth.Since vertical components of atmospheric motion are relatively small, especially near the surface of the earth, meteorologists use the term to denote almost exclusively the horizontal component. Meridional flow is the atmospheric flow in which north south component (i.e. longitudinal, or along a meridian) is pronounced relative to the zonal (east-west) component. The equatorial easterlies, tropical (trade winds) and polar easterlies blow from the east. The westerlies represent the dominant west-to-east motion of the atmosphere centered over the 35-65 degree latituded bands of both hemispsheres.